Side-by-side distribution
Chemical Engineer
$106,875
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 32%
- Live roles
- 25
Nuclear Engineer
$141,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 73%
- Live roles
- 37
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Chemical Process Engineer
Senior Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Chemical Engineer – Technical Sales
Chemical Engineer
Chemical Engineer (New Grad)
Chemical Engineer
Electrical & Instrumentation Engineer Chemical Plant
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer
Senior/Staff Nuclear Safety Analysis Engineer
Nuclear Safety Programs Engineer
Nuclear Design Basis Engineer
Nuclear Consequence Analysis Engineer
Senior Nuclear Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer
Senior Nuclear Methods Engineer
Senior Nuclear Engineer
Senior Nuclear Engineer
Computational Nuclear Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Apex Technology, Inc.
|
$155,000 | 2 |
|
Inversion
|
$401,440 | 1 |
|
SpaceX
|
$108,750 | 1 |
|
Hire Hangar
|
$105,000 | 1 |
|
General Matter
|
$101,000 | 1 |
| VT Voyager Technologies, Inc. | $90,000 | 1 |
|
Fuku
|
$5,500 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
General Matter
|
$125,000 | 7 |
|
Antares
|
$167,500 | 5 |
|
Radiant Industries
|
$126,488 | 5 |
Global Engineering & Technology, Inc. (GET)
|
$135,625 | 2 |
Jensen Hughes
|
$118,000 | 2 |
|
Helion
|
$290,500 | 1 |
| OK Oklo | $155,000 | 1 |
Kairos Power
|
$153,000 | 1 |
Chemical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $143,000 | 3 |
Nuclear Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $167,500 | 11 |
Chemical Engineer vs Nuclear Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Chemical Engineer is $106,875 per year (typically $98,250–$149,000), versus $141,000 for Nuclear Engineer ($125,744–$167,500). That puts Nuclear Engineer about 32% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Chemical Engineer and Nuclear Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.